Question about importing track

[Tankra]

Hello everyone.
I currently use a DP-008, and really love working with it. But, I had a question.

sometimes, I’ll use a bulk of the tracks, and then I’ll just need one or more tracks to fully finish the song I’m
Working on. So, I’ll record the song, export it, then import it to a new track to overdub a guitar solo or something.
A lot of times I’ll have some slight panning going on with my electric guitars. For example I’ll have one track recorded on the neck pickup slightly panned left, then another on the bridge, slightly panned right, etc.

When I go to import the whole song to overdub something on top of it, it wants to split that song into two different stereo tracks. So, my question is, what happens to all of the stereo information that’s been recorded to that track when I import it, so that it’s able to be split into just two tracks. I’ve found the closest way to get it to sound how I originally had it, is Pan one half left and one half right. Does this properly maintain the stereo data from those tracks, or is there something else I should be doing to keep it closer to original.

fyi, I’m still getting used to recording music and understanding some of these concepts. So, I’m sorry if this is an amateurish question. But, I just want to make sure that when I need to just record one or two more mono tracks of a guitar solo or something over a recording of mono drums and panned guitars, that it’s still faithful to the original panning of those stereo tracks that I already had set the way I liked them.

 

[dctdct]

Welcome to the board.

I don't get exactly your workflow over the whole song production. Hence a few questions upfront (I have the similar DP-008EX):
a) as long as you don't run out of tracks, why do you export tracks instead of editing/overdubbing in the device?
b) even if you consumed all 8 tracks with different instruments you could do a pre-mix with BOUNCE function to drill down a few tracks into two tracks (stereo). Without exporting. Could you?

Facts about our Pocketstudios:
1) There are no specific stereo tracks. All 8 tracks are mono.
2) Hence each track can the L/R channel of a future stereo mix.
3) Export of single (or more) tracks with EXPORT TRACKS doesn't assemble a stereo wave file. Just as many mono wave files as you exported # of tracks.
4) That's why the PAN control doesn't impact this type of export
5) Building a master track is the only way to assemble a real stereo wave file in the device and impact the L/R panning with the controls. Use MASTER REC to assemble the master track.
6) Use EXPORT MASTER to export the master track as stereo wave file.
7) Because of (1) the IMPORT TRACK function doesn't rebuild a stereo track glued together. Instead you will get again two separate mono tracks from L/R of the wave file. Exactly as it was in the wave file. PAN control has no effect.

Not specific for our small Pocketstudios, but the basic guide for the DP-24/32 Portastudios will give you a great starting point to learn the basics of recording, mixing and mastering through many referenced articles and videos.
https://www.tascamforums.com/threads/dp-24-32-sd-new-members-please-read-this-first.7917/
https://www.tascamforums.com/threads/dp24-32-equipment-related-tips.5817/
Read this first!

We are all glad to help again here, if you still have specific questions.
But let us know if you reached your goals.
Have fun.

 

[Tankra]

When i said “bulk of the tracks” I meant, “all of the tracks” I’ll use all
Of the tracks and want to
Maybe add one to two more tracks

my work flow is record drums to one track.
Then record bass and guitar.

I then start to pan the guitar tracks that I’ve recorded (I assumed this meant I was recording in stereo, since different tracks, I.e. the guitars, bass, and drums, are panned in different places)

I then pan everything to where I like it, record it. Then export it, then import it to
a new song. (I would like to point out that if I export just those 8 tracks, and leave the song at 8 tracks, then put that song on my computer, it sounds with headphones, or speakers, how it was supposed to sound, with everything panned slightly where I wanted it, just not when I export it, then import it in the device)

it always takes this song that I recorded, where I had everything panned where I liked it, and turns it into two mono tracks.

My question was, if I have a song recorded, pan everything where I like it, record it, then import that song to a new track, because I needed maybe one more track. Why is it that when I export it, it turns it into two mono tracks that can then be panned.

but, are you telling me, that, I can’t record all 8 of my tracks with intricate panning. Then mix those down to less tracks, and record on top of it the way it originally sounded, When I panned everything where I liked it?

 

[Mark Richards]

I pan everything to where I like it, record it. Then export it, then import it to a new song.

...what happens to all of the stereo information that’s been recorded when I import, so that it’s able to be split into just two tracks...I just want to make sure that it’s still faithful to the original panning of those stereo tracks that I already had set the way I liked them.

The stereo master is actually a 2-Track (L/R) recording. It captures the mix you've created (pan, eq, levels, etc). The resulting audio signal behaves just like your L/R stereo headphones and L/R stereo speakers.

When you export/import that stereo 2-Track master to a new song, it brings the stereo master into the new song as a single L track and a single R track, thus retaining/reproducing the stereo image of the original mix.

You set the pan controls for the L/R imported tracks full left and full right respectively.

You then have 6 more tracks in the new song to use for additional overdubs. Pan the newly recorded overdub tracks as desired.

When you do a second mixdown in the new song, you have a completed product containing all the tracks you've recorded in a new 2-Track stereo master.

The elegant part of your production process is that it retains all the original tracks should you decide you'd like to try a different mix.

Also read this post.

 

[Tankra]

Appreciate the detailed info.
Thank you very much